Machine for packaging odd-shaped products



Sept. 29, 1953 L. SALFISBERG ET AL 2,653,434

MACHINE FOR PACKAGING ODD-SHAPED PRODUCTS Filed Oct. 28, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I Sept. 29, 1953 .L. SALFISBERG ET-AL 3 [MACHINE FOR PACKAGING ODD-SHAPED PRODUCTS Filed Oct. 28, .1950

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 29, 1953 L. SALFISBERG ET AL 2,653,434

MACHINE FOR PACKAGING ODD-SHAPED PRODUCTS Filed Oct. 28, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 oooooddq III III Sept. 29, 1953 SALFISBERG ET AL 4 MACHINE FOR PACKAGING ODD-SHAPED PRODUCTS Filed Oct. 28, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Ylllll l d/ h Q 3. RN

IIIIIIIIIII Sept. 29, 1953 L. 1.. SALFISBERG ET AL 2,653,434

MACHINE FOR PACKAGING ODD-SHAPED PRODUCTS Filed Oct. 28, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 5Q j m??? W41 I w r m BY Q /MQ,

Patented Sept. 29, 1953 MACHINE FOR PACKAGING ODD SH APED- PRODUCTS Leroy L. Salfi'sberg, deceased; late of South Orange, N. J by Herman G. Kopaid; New'York; N, Y., and Lloyd I. Volckening; Glen" Ridge; N; J., executors, and Edward J; David, Hillside; N,-J., assignors to Ivers-EeeGompan-y, Newark,-

' J'., a corporation of Delaware Application October. 28, 1950;.Serial' No. 192,724

7' Claims. 1

This invention relates" in general. to packaging machines wherein two layers of flexible packaglng material such as chlorinated rubber or metal rouare drawn fromisupply'rolls into juxtaposed closely spaced relation adjacent an article feeding and depositing mechanism which deposits articles between the layers, after which the layers are sealed together around-the articles in zones that form and bound pockets or compartments between the layers in which thearticles are enclosed.

Heretofore, it has-been diflicult if not practi- Cally impossible to. package odd-shaped products in this Way, and a prime object of: the present invention isto provide a novel and improved method" and apparatus: for feeding and depositing odd-shapedarticles. between. the. packaging layers before the latter are sealed together.

It. is particularly desirable that. each. oddsh'aped' article. be located between the. packaging layers in a predetermined position, and. therefore another object of the invention is toprovide novel and improved means for depositing.- and: holding the article in apredeterminedlposition between the layersso that asthe layers are.

sealedtogether all ofthe articles will. be: enclosed in the same. relation to their respective compartments.

A- further object of the invention is to provide in: such a. machine a novel and improved combination' of a feeding conveyor for the articles and a suction transfer nozzle'for transferring: the articles from the conveyor to the predetermined position. between the layers of packaging mate rial-1 whereby the. articles can. be quickly, efficiently and accurately packaged. 7

Other objects,v advantages and results of the invention will be brought out by the following description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic fragmentary side elevational view of a machine embodying the invention, portions being shown in vertical longitudinal section;

Figure 2 is a composite horizontal sectional and: top plan view of the machine shown in Figure 1 approximately from' the plane of the line 2-2- of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view approximately on the. plane of the line 3-3 of Figure 2 showing the removal or pick-up of the=artic1e by suction member from the feeding conveyor;

Figure i is asimilar view showing the parts of the machine in a position between. the pick up:

2 position and the position at which the articl'eis' deposited between the layers of packaging material';

Figure 5 is a" vertical longitudinal sectional View approximately onthe plane of the line 5-5 of Figure 2 Figure 6 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the pick-up member approximately from the plane" of the line 6-6 of Figure 1 with portions broken-away;

Figure 7 is a detached front' elevational' view of the face plate of the pick-up member;

Figure 8 is a front elevational view of a mask for the pick-up member;

Figure 9' is a front elevational view" of the suction pick-up member and a. portion of the pusher for orienting and. pushing the article from the pick-up member intothe space between the'layers of" packaging material,v taken approximately on the plane of the line 9 -9 of Figure 4;

Figure 10 is a detached perspective view of thepusher plate;

Figures I1 and 1-2 are views: similar to Figure" 9" showing. modified.- forms of the pusher plate for handling. articles of different shapes; and;

Figure 13 is a detached perspective view of one of thearticle-carrying plates of the feeding: conveyon Specifically describing; the illustrated embodimentof the invention, the machine comprises a main frame. or casing A on which is mounted a sealing. mechanism 3- of generally-known type, for example such as shown in United StatesPatent- No 2,083.,61.7., dated June 15, 1937. As shown, this. sealing. mechanism includes two sealing rollers I: mounted on and rotated inopposite direetions by shafts 2 which are d'rivi'ngly connected by gears 3 one. of which may be driven from any suitable source of power. The rollers have complemental registering recesses 4 to pro.- vide clearancespacesbetween themifor the articles between the layers or webs C of packaging material, which are drawn by and between the. rollers I, therecesses being spaced circumferentially of. the rollers. and: therollers being rotatedintimed-relation to'the-deposit of the articles -be-- tween: the. layers. In surrounding relation to the recesses- 4, the peripheries of therollers have serrated surfaces for clamping. the-layers. of the packaging material: and: the rollersmay be heated in any suitable manner as. by electric heaters 5 where the packaging materialis of the: heatsealable type. As shown,. the layers or webs of packaging material may be fed from supply rolls D that are journaled on the machine in any suitable known manner.

The articles to be packaged are placed on a feeding conveyor E in any suitable manner and the conveyor carries the articles to a suction transfer member F which is operated in timed relation to the movement of the articles by the conveyor so that each article is lifted from the conveyor by the transfer member F and deposited between the layers of packaging material C, the articles being oriented and pushed from the suction transfer member by a pusher plate G.

More particularly, the feeding conveyor E comprises a pair of parallel chains 6 mounted in known manner on sprockets one of which for each chain is shown and denoted I. On and between the chains 8 are mounted a plurality of spaced article carrying blocks 8 each of which has a pocket or recess 9 for at least one article H, the

blocks preferably being interchangeable so that ,1

different pockets can be provided for articles of different shape. As shown, the blocks have dovetail grooves ID in their bottom surfaces into which fit dovetail ribs ll of plates l2 carried by the chains, so that the blocks can be applied to and removed from the plates I2 by simple longitudinal movement of the blocks to slide them onto or off the dovetail ribs.

The conveyor is driven by any suitable means continuously so as to bring the blocks with their respective articles into juxtaposition to the pick-up member F so that the latter may remove the article from the pocket. As shown, the suction pick-up member includes a suction head 43 having an approximately rectangular opening M of a length greater than the width of the packaging layers C and of a width greater than the length of the article to be packaged. Detachably secured to the suction head in overlying relation to the opening 14 is a rear perforated plate I over which L is separably arranged a mask sheet it which in turn is overlaid by a perforated face plate l'i. As shown, the plates l5 and I1 and the sheet l6 have notches l8 through which cap screws l9 may be threaded into openings in the suction head for attaching the plates and sheet to the head. The perforations of the plates l5 and H are closely spaced and uniformly arranged so as to apply suction to any article placed against the surface of the face plate, while the mask sheet I6 has one or more openings 2| corresponding approximately in shape to the article to be packaged. As shown in Figures 1 to 8 inclusive, the article H are elongate penicillin sticks and the openings 2| are horizontally disposed slots corresponding in width and length to the diameter and length, respectively, of the articles. The suction head is hollow and at its rear end has a tubular elbow 22 that is swivel connected at 23 to one end of a pipe 24 the other end of which is swivel connected at 25 to the casing 26 of a control valve which has a port 21 connected by a pipe 28 to a suitable suction producing apparatus. The suction head is firmly pivotally connected to the pipe 24 by hearing lugs i301. on the suction head and arms 24a on the pipe which are pivoted together by pins 24?) on the same axis as the elbow connection 23. Preferably the suction pipe 24 has an auxiliary bearing in the form of a trunnion 24c journaled in a bearing pocket 24d fastened to the main frame. The port 2'! has a valve seat 29 with which cooperates a reciprocable head 30 when the latter is in one position as shown in Figure 4; and the valve casing 26 has ports 3| opening to the atmosphere which are controlled by engagement of said valve 30 with another valve seat 32 when the valve head is in its other position as shown in Figure 3.

The valve head 30 is urged to the seat 32 by a compression spring 33 and is actuated off that seat through a valve rod 34 which is slidably mounted in the valve casing 28 and in a bracket 35 on the machine frame A and has a cam block 36 with which cooperates a follower roller 31 carried by a pusher mechanism which includes a rod 33 vertically slidable in bearings 39 on the machine frame and carrying an arm 40 to which the pusher plate G is connected by bolts 4 I. With this arrangement the valve head 30 is moved from one position to the other in timed relation to the movement of the pusher plate which is actuated by a follower roller 42 connected to the vertical rod 38 for leading a cam 43 carried by a drive shaft 44 which is rotated by any suitable source of power. With this construction, the valve head 30 is moved from one position to the other in timed relation to the reciprocation of the pusher plate.

The suction head i3 is swung up and down and simultaneously horizontally by an arm 45 which is pivotally connected at one end at 46 to the elbow 22 and is fast connected at its other end to a container shaft 41 journaled in the machine frame A and to which another arm 48 is rigidly connected. The arm 48 is in turn connected by a rod 49 to one end of the lever 50 the other end of which is pivotally connected at 51 to the machine frame, said lever having a roller 52 journaled thereon and following a cam 53 on the drive shaft 44.

The pusher plate G may be formed of any suitable material but where the articles are easily broken or damaged, the plate preferably will be a sheet of rubber, and the lower edge of the sheet will be shaped roughly to correspond to the shape of the article being packaged. For example as shown in Figure 9 the edge of the pusher sheet is straight so as to engage the straight sides of the penicillin sticks H, whereas in Figure 11 the edge of the pusher sheet is shown as provided with notches 54 to more accurately orient the articles J, especially to definitely locate the articles longitudinally of the face plate. In Figure 12 the edge of the pusher sheet is shown as shaped to conform to another type of article such as an ampule K. In each case, the shape of each of the pusher sheets is such as to line up the articles with their longer dimensions exactly horizontal so that it will be deposited between the packaging layers in proper relation for packaging. If

the article happens to be misplaced on the suction head as shown at the left hand side of Figure 9, as the pusher sheet descends it will straighten out or line up the article so that the article will be deposited in proper position between the packaging layers.

In operation of the machine, the articles are placed in the conveyor pockets 3 and moved in' succession into juxtaposition to the suction head which is normally in its upper position as shown in Figures 1 and 3. In this position the valve head 30 is engaged with the seat 32 to close communication of the valve casing with the atmosphere and the suction is applied through the pipe 28 through the suction head so as to draw the article H from the pocket 3 against the face plate as shown. Then the suction head is moved downwardly and to the left, being swung downwardly about the axis of the swivel connection 25 through the arm 45 and being swung to the left about the axis of the elbow connection 23.

At the same time, the pusher plate will be moved downwardly so as to engage the article on the face plate of the suction head as shown in Figure 4. If the article is fragile, the cam block 35 will be so shaped and positioned that the valve head 30 will engage the seat 29 and cut off the suction to permit the article to drop by gravity from the suction head, but the pusher plate will be moved at a more rapid rate than the article so that it will reach and orient the article before the latter is dropped between the packaging layers as shown in Figure 5. If the article cannot be injured by the pusher plate, for example if it is hard and rigid like a pencil or a metal saw, the suction may be maintained on the suction head so that the pusher plate will slide the article along the face of the suction head While the article is being held on the head by the suction.

While we have shown the invention as embodied in certain specific structural details, it should be understood that this is primarily for illustrating the principles of the invention and that many modifications and changes can be made in the construction of the machine within the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. In a packaging machine which includes means for moving two webs of packaging material to bring portions thereof into close juxtaposition to each other to receive articles in succession between them and means for sealing said layers together in zones each surrounding an article to enclose the articles between said layers, the addition of means for feeding said articles in succession into a position adjacent said juxtaposed portions of said layers, a suction transfer member to transfer said articles from said feeding means and into a position between said juxtaposed portions of said layers of packaging material, and a pusher to engage and follow said articles from said suction transfer member into position between said layers of packaging material.

2. In a packaging machine as defined in claim 1, said suction transfer member having a fiat perforate face against which said articles are held by suction, and said pusher comprises a fiat plate parallel to and reciprocable with a wiping action along said face when said suction transfer member is in the position to hold said articles between said layers of packaging material.

3. In a packaging machine as defined in claim 1, the addition of a source of suction connected to said suction transfer head, and means operated in timed relation to the movement of said pusher to cut ofi the suction from said transfer head and release said articles immediately prior to the engagement of the articles by said pusher.

CJI

4. A packaging machine including means for supplying and feeding packaging material in opposed layers, article feeding means for depositing articles between said opposed layers comprising mechanism for feeding articles in succession to a predetermined point, a suction transfer head for transferring said articles in succession from said point to a position between said opposed layers of packaging material and a pusher reciprocable in timed relation to the movement of said transfer head to engage and follow said articles from said transfer head into position between said layers of packaging material, and means for sealing said layers together in zones encircling the articles to enclose the articles between said layers.

5. In a packaging machine the combination of a movable head for transferring articles from one position to another, said head having a perforate face in contact with which said articles are held by suction during their transfer, a flat pusher plate, and means for actuating it into sliding contact with said face of the suction head when the latter is in said another position, said pusher plate having an edge to engage and orient an article on said face.

6. The combination as defined in claim 5, with the addition of a source of suction connected to said transfer head, and means actuated in timed relation to the movement of said pusher plate to cut off the suction from said transfer head in predetermined timed relation to the engagement of said edge of the pusher plate with the article.

'7. The combination as defined in claim 5 with the addition of means for actuating said transfer head including a pipe swivel connected at one end to said transfer head and swivel connected at its other end to a suction pipe, said transfer having arms, a lever connected at one end to said arms, and means for swinging said lever about its other end.

HERMAN G. KOPALD, LLOYD I. VOLCKENING, Executo rs of the last will and testament of Lerroy L. Salfisberg, deceased.

EDWARD J. DAVID.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,386,105 Gray Aug. 2, 1921 1,526,405 Williams Feb. 17, 1925 2,083,617 Salfisberg June 15, 1937 2,132,283 Allen Oct. 4, 1938 2,139,041 Salfisberg Dec. 6, 1938 

